The Bossier banner., 1887-08-11
TRAVELLING statesmen.
The Ability to Sell Goods on the Road
Apparently . Natural Gift.

The Ability to Sell Goods on the Road
Apparently . Natural Gift.
''Is the ability to sell goods on the
road an acquired art or is it natural
gift?" is question which is often.
asked, and the answer which it has
received are numerous and varied. One
man says: 81 believe travelling sales
men are born, not made. If man be
thoroughbred salesman he can sell
any thing, no matter whether he be
familiar with the goods or not. Here
is case in point: have in mind trav-
cling man who ranks among the most
successful in this city. l have personal
knowledge of three different lines of
goods he has handled with equal sue
cess. When l first knew him he was
on the road for boot and shoe firm.
He had no particular training for the
position, but stepped right out on the
road with his prices and samples. Not
| withstanding his ignorance of the goods
he sold and his lack of acquaintance
with the details of the business, his sue
cess was remarkable and the orders he
sent home were astonishing. After
| few years in this line of business at the
| handsome salary his ability readily
commanded, he made a sudden break
and started on the road representing a
! large furniture manufacturer. Be-
| fore the end of his first trip his
success became evident, and more
| than one carload bill was sold.
| Remarkable as were these two
ventures, they were not more so
than his latest move. After few years
| in the furniture business he made
another sudden change and invested
his capital in an importing drug-house
of this city, in which he still retains his
interest. From its complicated nature
this branch of business presented even
more difficulties than either of the
other lines which he bad represented,
but away he went on the road and in
came his orders. To-day there is not,
believe, more successful salesman
on the road in that line, and he has a
trade which he holds firmly. How he
sells goods and secures such trade 1
am utterly at loss to explain, nor will
he offer an explanation himself. Never
theless he sells the goods. have seen
him in his own Office try to sell goods
to some small chance customer and
make a complete failure with both
| goods and prices by his side. Then
again have known him to run over to
New York without a sample or price Of
any kind and come back with pocket
full of orders at more than ruling prices.
That man has secret that is worth
thousands of dollars to him, although
to another man it might perhaps be
worthless"
A dry goods merchant said: ''You
can not tell from mans appearance
whether or not he will make a good
salesman. Some of the most unprom-
ising men we have employed have
turned out to be the best of travelling
men. For instance, some years ago
we engaged man who had previously
found employment as a hog-butcher.
He was most uncouth and unattrac-
tive character, with little education
and apparently small business capacity.
We put him on the road very doubt
fully, and to our great establishment he
made an excellent salesman. He
worked up crossroads trade princi-
pally, and sent in some rousing big or
ders. He was in our employ for many
years, and did splendid business. 1t
so happened that he was just suited for
the trade he took, and he handled it
well, where another man might have
made dismal failure. find that fire.
quently some of the best statesmen are
men of small ability in other directions.
OF course that is not general, as the
great majority of travelling men can
turn their hands to almost any kind
of work, but it does show that the abil-
ity to sell goods on the road is natur-
al gift rather than an requirement p"
Philadelphia Record.